


Svoboda

by leighwrites



Category: IT (2017), IT - Stephen King
Genre: M/M, Repo the genetic opera au? you betcha!, but well here we are, i've accepted my new title as offbeat au writer, this didn't come out AS angsty as it should have
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-26
Updated: 2018-08-26
Packaged: 2019-07-02 20:12:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,433
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15803757
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/leighwrites/pseuds/leighwrites
Summary: [ Svoboda - Freedom ] Eddie has been sick most of his life, locked up in his house by his mother. His first taste of freedom starts when he sneaks out and meets a strange graverobber who shows him the dark reality of the world he lives in.





	Svoboda

**Act I: New World Order**

In the twenty-first century, an epidemic of organ failures claimed the lives of millions across the globe. The world started to decline as chaos quickly took over, but out of this dying world, a saviour emerged, founding a company known as  _ Gene Co.,  _ and Gene Co., unlike any other company, financed organs to hospital patients as though they were housing supplies or a house itself.

For those who were unable to afford their transplant operations, Gene Co. would draft up a payment plan that cheated death and cover the bill for them. Soon, Gene Co. had carved a niche for itself known as  _ surgery for fashion _ , and people who wanted new organs didn’t necessarily have to be in a life and death situation to get them.

And with all Gene Co. payment plans came Zydrate, a painkiller of their own creation that was both expensive and highly addictive. But like with all things, people found a way around the steep price of their painkillers. Graverobbers were known to sell cheap versions of Zydrate,  which worked just as well as the one Gene Co. offered. 

The only difference?  _ It was extracted from the dead _ .

Soon, the Gene Co. founder himself, Robert Grey, had lobbied a bill through congress, which made organ repossessions legal.

And those who couldn’t keep up with their payment plan were visited by the Repo men.

The identity of Repo men were generally kept from the public eye, though there was never really any need for it. The fear of the organ repossessors was so strong that anyone who had a payment plan with Gene Co. prayed and prayed that there would never be a time in which they would come face to face with Gene Co.’s most horrifying of employees.

But even Repo men were on payment plans with Gene Co.., and that put them in a constant never ending debt with the company who would put them to work, ripping still beating organs from those unable to make a payment on time.

Many had tried to run and hide from the Repo men, but they always had a way of finding their target no matter where they tried to run to.

Marcia stumbled backwards as a figure dressed completely in black landed heavily in front of her, adjusting the thick rubber gloves on one of their hands. The uniform of a Repo man was designed like a hazmat suit, all black so they could hide in the shadows, their helmets only showing the eyes of their killer, illuminated with a blue light inside.

All Marcia could see right now were cold, deep brown eyes that promised death. And like any normal person who was brought face to face with a Repo man, Marcia ran.

“I hate it when they do that.”

The Repo man took off after Marcia, heavy boots pounding against the ground. He turned a corner sharply, spotted the woman’s flowing blonde hair as she ducked into a building, and forced himself to run faster. The last thing he needed was for a quick job to turn into two hours of running through the streets just to get back a heart.

As he entered the building, Marcia slammed the wooden door of an elevator down, and pushed her hand on the button to take her up to one of the other floors. The Repo man heaved a sigh, checked the floor that was lit up, and then made his way for the stairs to cut her off.

A scream a few moments later told him that he shouldn’t have bothered.

On the third floor, which was now stained with blood, a second Repo man stood over Marcia’s body, a hole in her chest and a still thumping heart held in a pair of rubber gloves. Marcia’s pursuer grabbed the box nearby and opened it harsher than what was necessary,  while his companion turned the heart around to find the Gene Co. label, quickly scanning it.

“I hate this job.” 

He shoved the heart into the cool box and the other closed it before the two of them were gone from the scene, leaving Marcia’s body behind to be discovered by someone else.

It wasn’t their job to clean that up. Their job was  _ only  _ to retrieve organs and take them back to Gene Co.. They appeared when there was no one around to rescue the target, and no one was free from the horror that had now taken over the city.

Not even the Repo men themselves.

“Stan!” The Repo man who had retrieved Marcia’s heart rushedly followed after his companion, who was holding the handle of the box in a death grip. 

Usually, they did  _ not  _ use names on a job. Names allowed people to find you outside of work. Names allowed people to group up against you and get revenge for a dead loved one. People didn’t care that it was their  _ job _ . All they thought about was revenge.

And they wouldn’t be the first of their kind to suffer.

The second Repo man grabbed the arm of the first and yanked him into a nearby wearhouse, checking to make sure it was empty before he spoke again. 

“Do you need a moment?”

Stan was not made for the Repo life, and his companion, Bill, was very much aware of that,  and had been since the first day they’d met. The only reason Stan was a Repo man was because that was  _ his  _ payment plan. Stan needed new lungs, and Gene Co. would offer them. 

But in return Gene Co. needed his speed.

And ignoring his mother’s warning to never sign a contract with Gene Co. unless you read the fine print, a desperate Stan had signed away his life to the company that would soon force him to kill, and remind him how easily he could have his lungs repossessed if he refused a job at any time.

“Stan.” Bill said, voice firmer now as his grip tightened on Stan’s arm. “ _ Do you need a moment? _ ”

“No.” Stan kept his voice steady, pushing Bill off him. “Let’s just take this back so I can go home and forget this is my job until I get the next call.”

Bill relented with a nod, following Stan from the warehouse.

He hated this job too.

“I’m sorry, Mr Grey, it appears that it’s… terminal. You don’t have much time left; a year at best. It’s spreading rapidly. It’s time that you consider picking an heir to your company and set the rest of your affairs in order.”

Robert Grey did not bother giving his doctor an answer, simply slamming his phone down,  and raising a hand to his face to pinch at the bridge of his nose in frustration. An heir? How was he supposed to pick one of his children to take over his company?

Greta was a Zydrate junkie who had no idea that her father was fully aware of her sneaking off to the black market to pay Graverobbers for her fix on the strong painkiller that she believed she needed; even if she did swear that she was doing better, and now funding a support group for other Zydrate Addicts.

Then there was Patrick; his psychotic son who liked to cut faces from the victims of the Repo men and wear them like a face to cover up his own deeply scarred face, where he’d burned himself with his own homemade flamethrower (a spray can and a lighter).

And then there was Henry, and he was  _ definitely  _ out of the question. Henry had a quick temper, and was not above stabbing someone for simply bringing him the wrong coffee or not getting his newspaper to him on time. 

His children would not make for good Gene Co. CEOs.

“Maggots, vermin… all three of them.” Robert lowered his hand to his office desk, briefly glancing at the photograph that stood there. “You would have been the best to inherit all of this, but then you went and died, and now I’m asked the same old question.”

_ Who will inherit Gene Co. after your passing, Mr Grey? _

Robert slammed his hand down against the desk. “I’ll keep those vultures guessing just a little longer.”

  
  


**Act II: The Grave Robber**

Edward Kaspbrak had spent most of his days locked up in his big mansion-like house by his mother. The furthest he was ever allowed to go was through a passage that led from his bedroom to his father’s tomb. His mother had felt that at the very least he should be allowed there; with the promise to never stray beyond the iron door of the tomb.

And Eddie would never disobey his mother.

He sat at the head of his father’s tomb itself, skimming through an insect book his mother had brought back for him one day, while he ate a lunch he’d packed for himself. It was just then that the most peculiar bug had landed on the lid of the tomb, and Eddie placed his half eaten sandwich down to skim through his book better.

It looked like a mosquito, but it was bigger in size and its wings seemed to  _ glow  _ in the torch lit tomb they were in. Finding an insect in his book that looked like the one before him, Eddie looked up to check it again, but the insect took flight right out of the grate in the door.

Rushing to the door, Eddie peered out of the gate to see that the insect had now settled onto a headstone of a nearby grave. “I could just… be quick, right, dad? It’s right there. I can catch it and come back in before anything happens.”

Eddie grabbed the cylinder case he would need to catch the insect, and carefully pushed the tomb’s door open before stepping out into the fresh air. He moved slowly and with caution, not wanting to scare the insect before he could catch it, when an odd sound reached him.

It was kind of like a buzzing, and Eddie abandoned the insect in favour of finding the source of the noise, which began to sound more like humming as he closed in on it. It wasn’t long before he saw someone moving through the graves, swinging a lamp in one hand with a shovel resting over their shoulder.

At first Eddie had assumed that this person worked here, but a closer look showed him that the boy was no older than himself, with tattered clothes and unruly curled hair that framed his glasses.

He was a graverobber, Eddie realised, and he was humming to himself a song that only he seemed to know.

_ “Industrialization has crippled the globe.” _

His voice was soft, but his tone was bitter, and Eddie couldn’t help being drawn to him as he placed his lamp down next to a grave and started to lift the shovel from his shoulder.

“ _ And in this wake, a market erected. _ ” The boy raised the shovel, not seeming to notice Eddie’s presence as he crept around the graves to get a closer look. “ _ An entire city built on top of the  _ **_dead_ ** _. _ ” He slammed the shovel roughly into the ground, placing his foot onto it. “ _ And  _ **_you_ ** _ can finance your bones, and your kidneys. _ ”

He looked up suddenly, winked at Eddie, and then beckoned him closer. And closer Eddie moved to the stranger, despite the small part of him that said  _ not  _ to do that. His mother had told him that Graverobbers were dangerous and not above hurting someone as ‘delicate’ as he was. 

The boy was digging almost wildly, throwing the dirt around haphazardly and not caring in the least where it landed.

“ _ For every market a submarket grows. _ ” The graverobber tossed the shovel aside and hopped down into the grave.  _ “But best you be punctual with making your payments.”  _ Eddie scrambled back as the graverobber threw a body up towards him, and then hoisted himself out. “ _ Lest it be you on the concrete below. _ ”

Eddie took a step closer again and covered his nose with his arm to block out the smell of the body. “What are you doing?”

The graverobber leveled him with a look of  _ you know what _ , and continued his ‘work song’ as he pulled out what looked like a small gun-like device from his pocket, with an empty glass vial in it. “ _ It’s  _ **_quick_ ** _ , it’s  _ **_clean_ ** _ , and its  _ **_pure_ ** _. It could change  _ **_your_ ** _ life, rest assured. _ ” He shoved the end of the device into the body’s nose and pressed the trigger; the vial quickly filling up with a glowing blue liquid.  _ “It’s the twenty-first century cure. And it’s my job...” _

The graverobber grinned and Eddie seemed to know what was coming, feeling the colour draining from his face. “No, no, no!  _ Please don’t - _ ”

The graverobber tilted his head back with a loud laugh, hitting the climax of his song; loudly.  _ “GRAVES.” _

_ “Shut up!”  _ Eddie hissed as alarms blared around them, security drones flying overhead with their search lights on. “You’re gonna get us caught!”

“Graverobbers on seven! Lockdown! Lockdown!”

Eddie turned sharply and ran back for his father’s tomb. The door had already swung shut and locked itself; leaving Eddie outside. Eddie slammed his hands against the door in hopes it would budge, but it did not, and he could feel the panic rising.

“No, no, no!”

“This way, kid!” The Graverobber called, the dead body slung over his shoulder.

Eddie had no choice but to follow the graverobber, who no doubt knew the layout of this place better than his own home. They turned a corner and the robber hoisted the body from his shoulder, slamming its head into a nearby wall.

“What are you doing  _ now _ ?”

The graverobber only responded by smashing the corpse’s head into the wall again. The bricks crumbled and gave way, and he tossed the body into the hole and grabbed Eddie’s wrist before yanking him to the remains of an old chapel, which was now the dumping area of people who’d had their organs repossessed; bodies of those who had no family to pay for their burials. 

Eddie stared at the dumping ground, almost in wonder, awed at the mountain of bodies that were piled up on top of each other.

“Jackpot!” The graverobber cheered, attaching a new empty vial to his device before heading to the nearest body.

Eddie approached him; warily this time, for he suspected that maybe he wasn’t all welcome there. “What is this place?”

The graverobber looked back at him over his shoulder with a wide grin. “My gold mine. Do you ever wonder… why people care about such a petty obsession, when their designer heart is still beating with such common blood?”

“I - I can’t say I really thought about it.” Eddie’s eyes travelled back to the hole in the wall. “It sounds like you have.”

“I have.” The robber hummed, corking another vial of glowing blue liquid. “The world is a horrible place now. Surely you noticed  _ that _ ?”

“No. I - I don’t go out. I shouldn’t even be here! I shouldn’t have left that tomb! And now I’m stuck here! With  _ you _ .”

The robber grinned. “There are worst punishments in the world, kid. However I, for one, happen to think that I am wonderful company.”

“I’m not a kid! I’m the same age as you and my name is  _ Eddie _ .”

The graverobber looked at the pile of bodies in an almost longing fashion as shouts sounded in the graveyard. He’d appeared to have made some kind of decision as he stood and grabbed Eddie by the wrist again, running through the chapel. 

“Well,  _ Eddie _ , I suppose it’s only fair I give you a name in return.”

“That’s generally how this works, yes!”

“Name’s Richie, now where’s home?”

“Just get me into the Kaspbrak tomb! I only know my way home from there!”

“Can do, ol’ chap!” Richie shoved him down into the pile of bodies as flashlights shone across the ruins, throwing himself onto him. “Just… sh. They’ll go away soon.”

Eddie lay there, doing everything in his power  _ not  _ to vomit as the smell of death and decay wafted around him; some of it from the bodies, and some from Richie, who was humming to himself again.

After what felt like forever, the alarms had died and the authorities had stopped looking for them. Richie had dragged him back to his father’s tomb, bid Eddie goodnight and took a bow before bounding off into the darkness of the graveyard.

As he ducked back into the tomb and grabbed his things, Eddie wondered if  _ all  _ graverobbers were that crazy, or just Richie.

  
  


**Act III: The Sick Boy**

Eddie had made it back to his room before his mother’s nightly check up on him. She may have given him the freedom to the tomb, but he was never to be too long out there. He stuffed his things away, changed out of the corpse smelling clothes, and dropped onto his bed with a book, just moments before Sonia knocked on his door.

“You can come in ma!” Eddie called, trying not to sound out of breath from all of the running.

Sonia pushed open the door a tray in hand that contained the usual; soup, a glass of water, and a bottle of pills. “Eddie-bear! You look so flushed! Are you feeling unwell?”

“I’m fine ma.”

Sonia set the tray onto his nightstand with a tut. “Eddie-bear, you must never lie to me. That blood disease took your father from me and I won’t let it take you too. You have to remember to take your medication.”

“I know, ma.” Eddie reached for the bottle of pills, unscrewing the lid quickly and fishing out two of the blue pills. “I always take my medication. You don’t have to worry.”

Sonia smiled, sitting on the edge of his bed and running a hand through his hair. “It won’t be forever, Eddie-bear. You know Gene Co. finds cures for new things all the time. Before you know it, there will be one for your blood disease and I’ll take you to get it.”

“You promise?”

“Of course I do, Eddie-bear. Your father would be so proud of you for being so strong. You can’t see him but he’s always here with you.  _ We  _ will always be there for you. You mean the world to me, so be a good boy, take your medication, and we will keep hoping for a cure to come from Gene Co..”

Sonia placed a kiss to the top of his head and left the room, closing the door quietly behind her. Eddie breathed a sigh of relief, thankful that she could not smell the outdoors on him, though he supposed he owed that to the fact that  _ she  _ was able to go out there. Her nose had become used to the smell that was everywhere.

Eddie stared up at the picture of his father that Sonia he put up on his wall, his brow furrowing in frustration. “This is your fault, dad. You gave me this blood disease. I’m infected because of you, and there’s no way they can fix me. Why did you have to have this? Why  _ you _ ? Why do  _ I _ ? I just… I want to go outside again… all the time… because tonight was fun even if I almost did get caught and executed for grave robbing I wasn’t doing.”

Eddie didn’t understand why he was having a conversation with his father’s photograph. It couldn’t hear him, let alone respond to him. Instead, Eddie grabbed the remote from his nightstand and turned the television set on as he ate.

“Hi, I’m Blind Mag.” A beautiful dark haired woman was on the screen, unnatural white eyes staring at the camera. “Your treasured memories don’t have to fade with time. I’m here to announce GenCo’s Cornea Plus, GenCo’s breakthrough in optical technology, where everything is digitally recorded so you can relive your favourite memories again and again.”

Eddie stared at the image of the woman on the screen. Blind Mag (also known as Margaret or Maggie Tozier) was the current spokeswoman for Gene Co., and one of the best opera singers to exist. All month there had been constant advertisements for her final opera, as she would be leaving Gene Co., and as much as Eddie  _ wanted  _ to go because he adored and idolised the former blind woman, he knew that it was impossible.

There was no way that his mother would ever let him out, even if he promised to take his medication with him.

As he stared at the woman on his screen, spoon hanging from his mouth, he couldn’t help but notice how she looked somewhat like an older female version of Richie, with her long curls that cascaded down the side of her face.

Eddie quickly shook that thought from his head. There was no way the shoddily dressed graverobber was related to  _ Blind Mag the famous Opera Singer and Spokeswoman of Gen co. _

Right?

Besides, he couldn’t remember a single article in which Blind Mag had ever mentioned having a son. Maybe it was just a coincidence they looked similar, or maybe he had some other kind of relation to her.

Eddie let the thought roll from his mind, focusing on Blind Mag and letting her opera tones soothe him. Her voice was soft and gentle, a great difference from his mother’s, which was anything but that.

And he always wondered if it had something to do with his father’s death.

A buzzing caught his attention and Eddie reached for the phone on his nightstand, knowing that it would just be his mother. She always sent him texts, since it saved her from shouting across the big house.

But it wasn’t his mother. He didn’t even recognise the number. Eddie tapped the screen of his phone to look at the message, brow furrowed.

_ Edward, you don’t know me, but your father was once a very dear friend of mine. I can help you find a cure, just like I’d promised your mother. Meet me in your father’s tomb at nine tonight. _

A knock on his door startled him, which made Eddie drop the phone on his lap.

“Eddie-bear, I’m going to bed, make sure to take your medication later and go to bed at a decent time.”

  
  


**Act IV: Robert Grey and Blind Mag**

The moment Eddie was sure that his mother was asleep, he shoved his pills into his pocket, moved the bookcase that served as a door, and slipped into the passage that would take him to his father’s tomb. As he stepped into the tomb itself he was aware of two things. The first was that the door was wide open, and the second was that there was an older man standing at his father’s tomb.

Robert Grey looked to be the age his father would be now if he were still alive, and Eddie knew at a glance exactly who this man was. And he found that oddly… he was not afraid of him. The founder of Gene Co. himself wanted to help him. What was there to be afraid of?

“It looks like I’ll be joining you soon enough, old friend. It seems the man who cured the globe can’t stop his own extinction. But I will keep my promise to you first.” Robert looked up, his eyes meeting Eddie’s. “Hello, Edward. Thank you for coming. I’m Robert Grey.”

“I know who you are. I’ve seen you on TV and read about you in magazines. You own the whole of Gene Co..”

“You look just like your father did when we were younger. I’m sorry to ask for you to meet me in such a place, but you’re a tough one to find. Sonia must be very protective of you.”

“I’m not supposed to be outside. I have a blood disease.”

Robert nodded, a smile coming to his face. “But there is hope for you, young Edward, an antidote. You could be the first to sample it; the Gene Co. fix to all blood diseases. All we’d ask in return is for you to work for us; a poster child of progress. It’s the cure you want, Edward.”

“Eddie. Call me Eddie.”

“Very well, Eddie. This cure is your chance to see the world. I fear I may have to cut this conversation short for now. A function is awaiting me. Would you care to accompany me?”

“I can’t.”

“Blind Mag will be there. You two should meet.”

“I shouldn’t. My mom will worry.”

“Who says that your mother needs to know everything? I’ll have you back here before she wakes and can see you’re gone.”

And that was all it took for Eddie to get into the back of Mr Grey’s limo and allow the man to take him into the heart of the city, where Gene Co.s advertisements were at their loudest and numerous.

“Gene Co.’s Digital Corneas provide state-of-the-art resolution and low density without sacrificing style. Hi, I’m Blind Mag, the voice of Gene Co.. At Gene Co., an affordable organ makeover is just a simple financing away. Take control of your life, because it’s what’s on the inside that counts.”

Eddie pushed himself closer to Robert in order to not lose him, and Robert carefully placed a hand to his shoulder to ensure that he didn’t lose the boy in the crowds of people. And the simple touch was something that Eddie wasn’t aware he’d been starved for.

Until now.

“Someone’s going to hang if I don’t get my coffee,  _ now _ !” Henry shouted as he stormed into the Gene Co. family tent of the festival.

“Sorry Mr Grey! Here’s a fresh cup!” An intern rushed over, styrofoam cup in hand.

Henry snatched the cup from his hand, took a sip and spat it out. “What the fuck is this? Rat piss?”

Blind Mag entered the tent as Henry stabbed the intern in the stomach no less than five times. “Henry, stop it! Learn to control your temper!”

“You’re  _ not  _ my fucking mother, Mag. Keep out of this!”

Greta was next into the tent, shoving Mag slightly. “So who gets to sing then after you leave?”

Blind Mag composted herself quickly. “Greta, please, I’ve told you. It’s not my place.”

“Someone has to do it! Why can't it be  _ me _ ?”

“Cut this out! I can hear you over the music outside!” Robert shouted as he walked into the tent, Eddie at his side. “Go and find something useful to do with your time. Find your brother.”

Henry and Greta shot a look to Mag, knowing and dangerous, before they left the tent, sending a final curious glance to Eddie.

The moment the three of them were alone, Robert’s attention turned to Mag. “Maggie, there’s someone I’d like you to meet. This is the son of an old friend of yours, a ghost from your past, if you will.”

Blind Mag’s attention settled on Eddie, her expression that of shock and surprise, though Eddie couldn’t figure out  _ why _ . She raised a hand, seeming to debate something, but dropped it back down to her side.

“Seeing you two together stirs some wonderful memories in me from when we were younger. Maggie was nineteen when I heard her sing, and at that moment I knew that I would help her see again and watch that talent bloom. I could help you too, Eddie.”

“Will the voice of Gene Co. please take the stage? Blind Mag, to the stage!”

Robert patted at Eddie’s shoulder. “I’ll return and we can talk some more. You, me, and Maggie. Together.”

Robert and Mag left him alone in the tent, and the sounds of the Gene Co. advertisements sounded from beyond. The sound of humming cut through the music, right outside of the tent, and to Eddie it sounded vaguely familiar.

_ “It’s the twenty-first century, cureee.” _

The tent flap suddenly moved, and there in the entrance stood the graverobber that Eddie had encountered earlier that day.

“Richie?” Eddie hissed.

Richie grinned. “Hey! If it isn’t little Eds! I thought you went home?”

“I did, but Robert Grey invited me here to meet Blind Mag.”

Richie grimaced and stepped into the tent. Eddie watched him move around with skillful steps and sharp eyes, until he found another one of the gun applicators and grabbed it, shoving it into his pocket.

“These fetch a lot on the black market; maybe even more than Zydrate itself.” Richie explained, patting his pocket.

“Right. Richie, can you help me again? It’s getting late and I need to find my way home, and you’re the only one who can help me.”

“The Graveyard where we met, right?” Richie asked, a sudden spring in his step and a grin on his face. “Right this way, my good sir! I’ll get you back to your tomb of wonders and back home!”

Richie was holding his hand out for Eddie, and Eddie took it (probably against his better judgement, he realised), and before he knew it, the two of them were running hand in hand through the centre of the city, weaving in and out of the crowds of people.

“Are you sure you know the way?” Eddie asked as Richie took a turn.

“Of course, Eds! I know this city like my own house!”

And Eddie found that he believed him.

  
  


**Act V: Black Market**

Or at least, he believed Richie until they stopped in what Eddie could only imagine would be an unfavourable area of the city. The buildings there were lit with neon signs, and the streets were emptier than the ones they had come from; though there were still people loitering around or coming out of a Zydrate support group.

A redheaded woman approached them, a grin on her face. “Richie, my friend! You get the stuff?”

“Sure did Beverly.” Richie said, removing a vial of glowing blue liquid from his pocket. “You know the rule. Payment upon delivery.”

“Yes, yes, of course.” Beverly said, hunting out some golden coins which she handed to Richie in return for him handing over the liquid. “Pleasure doing business with you as always, Richie! Who’s your friend?”

“This little guy here is Eds!” Richie said, clapping Eddie on the shoulder.

“ _ Eddie. _ ” Eddie corrected, slapping the hand away. “And you’re supposed to be helping me to get home.”

“Patience, Eds! I had to come here first.”

Beverly giggled at their interaction. “How old are you, Eddie?”

“Seventeen.”

“You don’t look Gene Co. touched… almost pure. You know, I had my first surgery when I was thirteen, and thanks to Z I couldn’t feel or remember a thing. A month later, I was back on my feet and turning tricks.”

Eddie leaned closer to Richie as Beverly walked off to a group of people near one of the buildings. “What  _ is  _ this place?”

Richie clapped his hands together with a grin. “This is the black market.”

“What did you just give her?” 

“Zydrate.”

“Zydrate?”

“Yes. It's a painkiller developed by Gene Co. You just put it into the applicator, put the applicator anywhere to the body, pull the trigger, and then you’re ready for surgery.”

“So then she -”

“No. Zydrate addict.” Richie explained. “Some people get addicted to the painkiller and that’s where I come in. I get Zydrate taken from dead bodies and -”

“Oi! Graverobber!” 

Richie cringed at the sudden shout as Greta stormed around the corner, hands pressed firmly to her hips. Richie acted fast, hunting out two of the glass vials and holding them out. Greta paid him less than Beverly had, shot him a wink and then turned her back to him. 

It was almost like she had some kind of control over him, and Eddie was willing to bet that it was the power of not having him executed for grave robbing.

“Greta over there is addicted to the knife and needs help with the agony.” Richie said, keeping his voice low. “But she’s also an addict.”

“Why does she pay you less?” Eddie asked.

“Because she can have me executed for my crimes with the snap of a finger. Watch this.”

Richie whistled, and the tune was not that of the song Eddie had heard him since twice that night. No. It was -

“Is that a Blind Mag song?” Eddie hissed.

“Who did that?” Greta demanded, turning sharply towards them. Richie smiled innocently and pointed at Eddie. Greta’s eyes narrowed as she took a step forward, shoving Eddie slightly. “So you think Mag can sing, do you? Well, it’s my turn to shine when the Repo Men strike!”

“What are you talking about?”

Greta smiled maliciously, and shoved a magazine against Eddie’s chest. Richie snagged it from Eddie and flicked through it before handing it back to him and pointing to something. There was something…  _ different  _ about his facial expression. 

It was no longer happy or teasing, like it had been until now.

But Eddie couldn’t place the expression.

“Mag’s contract has some mighty fine print that puts her in a mighty fine predicament.” Richie said, tapping the page. “If she leaves Gene Co, her eyes are forfeit, and a Repo Man will come and she’ll pay for that surgery.”

“ _ What _ ?” Eddie hissed, looking up at Richie. Greta had already wandered off, leaving the two of them alone. “You didn’t just bring me here as a side trip for Beverly, did you?”

“Eddie -”

“Is this what you wanted me to see?” Eddie asked, waving at the magazine he was holding. “Why this?”

“Never trust a deal with Gene Co.. They have fine prints that can trap you forever.”

“How do you know all this? Magazines? They can lie.”

Richie grimaced again. “A friend of mine, back when we were fourteen, needed new lungs. He’s a Repo Man now. That was his payment. If he refuses a job then another Repo Man will come and take them back. Read a contract thoroughly. My mom couldn’t  _ see _ , Eds. She was blind _. _ She  _ trusted  _ him and -”

“Wait, your  _ mom _ ? Blind Mag is your  _ mom _ ?”

“I had to get my singing talent from  _ somewhere _ . The public never needed to know. Robert kept her condition hidden from the world under the guise of vocal cord surgery.  _ I _ was kept from the public. Locked up like an animal because  _ I  _ belonged to Gene Co. as long as my mother did. They were gonna fix my eyes whether I wanted it or not, and force me to be the face of their teenage surgery.”

“So you ran away.”

“I ran away.”

“And then you became a graverobber. Does Blind Mag know? What you do?”

“Not unless Greta told her. Come on, let’s get you home.”

For the second time that night, Richie held his hand out to Eddie and Eddie found himself taking it, allowing Richie to pull him through the streets. It was almost midnight when they came to a stop outside of Frank Kaspbrak’s tomb and Richie finally released Eddie’s hand.

“Why is this the only way you know?” Richie asked suddenly.

“It leads to the house. To my room. I’m not supposed to be outside. The tomb is the closest I’m supposed to be.”

“Why?”

“I have a blood disease. It killed my father, and my mother thinks it will kill me too if I’m outside too much, but she would never stop me from being able to visit my father, so she had this tunnel built to the tomb.”

“There’s more to life than being locked up inside of a house.”

“I know.” Eddie pushed the door open the tomb, lingering for a moment. “And I want to be able to go outside all the time. I want to be free. But I can’t. Not unless I make a deal with Gene Co., for their antidote to blood diseases.”

“You shouldn’t.”

“I know.”

“But you will.”

“I  _ might _ .”

  
  


**Act VI: Mag’s Visit**

Over the two days that followed, Eddie would visit his father’s tomb, and Richie would meet him there. Eddie didn’t bother to ask how Richie had managed to get his number; after all, the founder of Gene Co. had managed to get it pretty easily. 

Richie would tell him about the world and the places he’d been, and Eddie would listen, lying down in the tomb with his eyes closed as Richie told his stories. He wanted nothing more than be able to go to these places.

He craved freedom, but his disease wouldn’t allow it.

On the day of Mag’s final opera performance, Sonia Kaspbrak had left Eddie alone for the day and would not be returning until the night. It was a weekly tradition, so that she could get them food and other things they needed, and Eddie didn’t mind it. He’d met Richie at lunch and they’d talked again, though Richie wasn’t as animated and cheerful as usual. 

Because Mag’s last performance marked the timer until the Repo Men came for her eyes. Richie had visited her the night before, begged her to reconsider quitting, but she had refused. 

She  _ wanted  _ to quit. She wanted to explore the world.

But Repo Men rarely left anyone alive.

Eddie had returned home, promising to meet Richie before Mag’s show, and the second he stepped into his bedroom, he heard the sound of the doorbell echoing through the house. That wasn’t right. No one ever visited. Eddie and Sonia were isolated in a house on the outskirts of town.

Cautiously, Eddie made his way out of his room and down the hallway where he descended the stairs, noticing halfway down that the person at the door was Blind Mag herself, staring at him from the other side of the glass pane.

“Edward. Can I talk to you? Will you come down? Robert brought you to the show the other night, and I thought I’d seen a ghost. Your resemblance to Frank is striking, you know. You have his hair and eyes, and for a moment it was like he was back, and I had to remind myself that you weren’t him.”

Eddie descended the steps the rest of the way, standing at the foot of them. “What do you want?”

“I want to get to know you.”

“I’m not supposed to talk to strangers.”

“Strangers? Edward, I’m not a stranger.” Blind Mag’s brow knitted, a smile coming to her ace. “I’m your godmother.”

Eddie felt his chest seizing. Blind Mag? His godmother? That didn’t make sense. Wouldn’t his mother have told him that? But why would  _ Blind Mag  _ of all people lie to him? 

She wouldn’t.

Right?

Eddie approached the door and slid the bolt across, allowing Blind Mag to step across the threshold into the house.

“We have both been kept in bondage, Edward, but in  _ you _ is a world of promise, and you can learn from all my failures.”

Eddie opened his mouth to respond. To say  _ something  _ to the woman standing in his foyer, but her eyes had begun to flickered like a movie projector, and it was there, less than a foot away, that he was shown the image of his father holding him when he was a baby, rocking him gently in his arms.

And just as fast as the image had come, it was gone.

Eddie swallowed. “How’d you do that - that eye thing?”

Blind Mag smiled, the gesture soft and nothing at all like his mother’s. “These eyes can do more than see.”

Eddie nodded quickly. “I know - I mean - I’ve seen you sing.”

“Where?”

“On the TV and from my window, there’s a big screen that floats by here sometimes. I can see the world from there.”

“I wish we could have watched together.”

“I can’t have guests.”

Blind Mag’s face twisted into confusion. “Never?”

“Ever.” Eddie said, taking a step back from her. “If ma found out that I’d been let out, or that you’d been let in -”

“I should go, then but before I do.” Blind Mag’s smile was back; warm and comforting as she headed for the door again. “Don’t forget a sheltered rose needs a little room to bloom outside the bedroom.”

Mag was almost out the door when Eddie blurted out his next sentence. “I met your son!”

Blind Mag stopped in the doorway and turned to face him again. “You did?”

“I did. He visits my dad’s tomb twice a day to see me. He’s told me all about the world, about Gene Co., and about your contract.”

“You’re worried.”

“I am.”

“Don’t be. I made the decision long ago. I’ll lose my eyes, but maybe get my son back.”

Eddie went to speak when something over Mag’s shoulder caught his eyes. Mag sensed the change in Eddie’s demeanour and turned back to the door where Sonia Kaspbrak was standing.

“Hello Sonia.” Blind Mag greeted with a kind smile.

Sonia nodded stiffly in greeting. “Maggie. How did you get in here? Don’t you have a show today?”

“How are you, Sonia?”

“I’m busy.”

“You never were a woman of many words.” Blind Mag said, the smile never once leaving her face. “You told me Edward died.  _ Sonia _ , you know I promised Frank that I would be present in his life.”

“ _ Please Mag _ , my Eddie-bear is  _ very  _ ill, and it’s not safe for him to see people. I need to give him his medication.” Sonia said, setting her bags down next to the table in the foyer.

Eddie’s hand gripped at the banister. “Ma, you have to let her stay in here.  _ Please _ , hide her.”

“I’ll be fine Edward, don’t fret.” Blind Mag assured as Sonia began shoving her towards the door. “You’ve turned this house into his tomb, Sonia. Frank wouldn’t want this for him or for you. You know what you have to do. What’s  _ best  _ for him.  _ Set him free. _ ”

Sonia shoved Blind Mag from the house and slammed the door behind her, but when she turned back to the stairs Eddie was gone.

“Eddie-bear, come on!” Sonia called. “It’s time for you night medication!”

Eddie suddenly appeared again, the magazine Greta had given him clutched in his hand. “Ma, look! Maggie is in  _ trouble _ . She’ll  _ die _ . It’s in her contract.” He shoved the magazine at Sonia. “Read it, Ma!  _ A repo man will come and take her eyes. _ ”

“Where did you get this? Did you go  _ outside _ ? You’re too sick for that, Eddie-bear! How did you ever get out and make it to a place where you could get this?”

“Ma, that’s not important! You have to help her!  _ She’s my godmother _ .”

Sonia suddenly slapped him, the sound echoing through the foyer. “That’s  _ enough, _ Edward. There is no repo man coming for Mag’s eyes. Mag is going to travel the world with Gene Co.’s blessing and everything will be fine, and she is  _ not  _ your godmother.”

“Ma that’s not -”

“ _ Silence,  _ Edward. Take your medicine and get some rest.”

  
  


**Act VII: Get Ready for the Show**

Eddie sat on his bed, staring at the phone in his hand. There was another text from Robert Grey on the screen, and Eddie read over the message three more times.

_ Edward, I have your cure. Tonight all will be revealed. See you at the opera. There is a present for you in your father’s tomb. _

Not bothering to check if his mother was sleeping, Eddie scrambled from bed and made his way through the familiar passage.

And there, sitting on his father’s tomb, was a large rectangular box that was neatly wrapped with a bow. Eddie approached the box, carefully taking the piece of card that was tucked under the ribbon.

_ Edward, this suit belonged to your father. It’s only right that it find its way back to you. Wear it to the Opera - Robert. _

Eddie changed into the suit quickly and stepped out of the tomb into the graveyard where a man was waiting for him.

“Edward? I’m Ben. Mr Grey asked me to escort you to the Opera.”

Blind Mag arrived at the tomb five minutes after Eddie had gone, placing a hand to the iron door with a smile.

“I’ve made my peace, Frank. I’m gonna sing my final song tonight. I’m sorry I was unable to keep my promise to you. Your widow has become cold and keeps your son locked up, and I was unable to be present for him. But he’s strong willed and determined like you were. He’ll be free soon. As will I. As will all of us.”

Mag turned from the tomb and headed back in the direction of her car where her husband was waiting for her.

“I’m ready, Gene Co. Come take my eyes.”

Greta stormed the streets of the black market, looking around wildly until she spotted Richie, who was in a conversation with Beverly, the two of them laughing at some joke they shared. She walked over to them, giving Richie a shove to the shoulder.

“One more hit.” Greta ordered, flicking him a silver coin. 

Richie dug into his pockets and found the vial of Zydrate which he handed over to her. “Here you go.”

“I heard some interesting things at home today.” Greta said, pocketing the vial.

“Now, did you?” Richie asked, not seeming interested in whatever it was that Greta wanted to say.

“Yes. Your friend Eddie will be attending the Opera tonight. Mr Grey invited him himself and sent a car for him. I thought the boy looked familiar. The son of  _ daddy’s  _ old friend.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

“I think you should be there for him when he gets his cure. Oh, but you wouldn’t do that, would you? Because you don’t want to be there to see  _ mommy’s final moments. _ ”

Richie felt his heart slow down as Greta left to find her bodyguards. Eddie was going to make a deal with Gene Co., despite everything he’d shown and told him about them. Eddie was going to end up in a contract he’d never be free from. 

Just like Stan and his mother.

He had to stop him.

“Bev, I gotta -”

Beverly nodded and gave him a shove with a smile. “ _ Go _ . He needs you, Richie. You have to make sure he doesn’t enter one of their contracts.”

Henry twiddled his knife lazily in his hand as he lounged around backstage at the Opera house. Stan didn’t want to his job as a Repo Man. Henry remembered the conversation as though it had  _ just  _ happened even though it had been a few days ago. 

Stan couldn’t kill the friend of his mother, and Robert was  _ letting it slide. _

No. That wasn’t allowed. 

It was in Stan’s contract.

“All debts get paid.”

Sonia Kaspbrak knocked on her son’s bedroom door, confused when he didn’t call out to her to enter. She had hoped that the two of them could put aside what had happened earlier that night and watch the Opera together. She knew her son could never stay mad at her when they did that.

“Eddie-bear?” Sonia called, pushing the handle down and opening the door. “Are you sleeping? I thought that we could -”

There was definitely someone in the room, but it was not Eddie. Three Repo Men stood in the centre, staring in her direction.

“What are you doing here? We don’t owe you anything. We have no contracts with Gene Co..  _ Where is my son? _ ” Sonia demanded.

One of the Repo Men stepped forward, reaching out for her. “Mr Grey requests your presence at the Opera, Mrs Kaspbrak.”

“You must be joking. I can’t just leave -”

“Your son is already there and waiting for you. Mr Grey knew you would not agree to come unless he was.”

Sonia Kaspbrak relented. You didn’t refuse anything when it came to a Repo Man.

Ben had driven Eddie into the heart of the city, just like when Mr Grey had brought him here, but Blind Mag’s festival was over now, and the streets were not lined with tents. The Opera house was surrounded by people waiting for when they would be allowed in, while those of higher status climbed out of cars and made their way in.

Ben stopped the car at the top of the red carpet, where a man named Mike opened the door and lead him down the carpet. He took Eddie to a balcony raised high at the side of the room, assuring him the best of privacy until Mr Grey would be able to give him his antidote.

“Well  _ you  _ look nice.”

Eddie turned sharply. When Mike had led him into the balcony area, he had not told him there would be another joining him, but sure enough, his infamous grave robbing friend was standing in the doorway and Eddie felt his breath catch in his throat.

Until now he’d only seen Richie in tattered clothes, covered in dirt and sometimes blood. But here he was, dressed in a suit and looking nicer than Eddie had ever thought was possible.

“What are you -”

Richie took a seat next to him, tucking his hands behind his head. “Did you think I’d miss my mom’s show? Mr Grey said I would like this seat best when I arrived, and so far I can see he’s right.”

“He gave you this seat because Blind Mag is your mother?”

“He’s always trying to get me to come to these things.”

“Even though you ran away?”

Richie nodded, closing his eyes. “I must be the only graverobber to date who can get away with everything they do, because I fund the Zydrate junkies and they pay to go to a support group run by Gene Co..”

“This world is so fucked up.”

“It’s Gene Co.’s world, Eds, and we just exist in it constantly under debt.”

“There has to be more than this.”

“Maybe one day, Eds.”

“Wait, does Greta know her dad pays you to keep Zydrate Junkies hooked up?”

“Nope.” Richie shot him a crooked grin. “I just let her  _ think  _ she has the upper hand so she keeps coming to me. She may pay less, but she buys the most in a bulk, and I give her watered down Zydrate on Daddy’s orders.”

Before Eddie could respond to that, the lights of the Opera house went down and the chatter around them came to a stop as lights flickered on the stage.

“Tonight’s Opera is brought to you by Rich Prosego. Ladies and gentle, welcome, to the Opera!”

  
  


**Act VIII: Truth**

It was different, Eddie realised, to see an Opera in person like this. The television sets in his house truly did  _ no  _ justice for them.

“I really should have come here sooner.” Richie said between one of the songs, shooting a wink at Eddie. “But I never really had someone cute to bring here with me.”

Eddie felt his cheeks heat up, but there was no time to respond as Blind Mag was announced to take the stage, walking out on a snowy graveyard scene as she sang. And Mag’s voice in person was the best thing Eddie had ever heard. 

Richie was right.

He had to get his talent from somewhere, and that somewhere was the dark haired woman currently on the stage.

As Mag was raised into the air during her song, a bittersweet smile came to her face. Her eyes wandered over the crowds, landing on the box where she could see her son sitting next to Eddie. 

They would be okay.

And she was  _ truly  _ at peace.

_“Come take these eyes.”_ Blind Mag raised her hands towards her face. “ _I would rather be…_ _blind._ ”

And with her song sung, Blind Mag plunged her own fingers into her eyes and tore them from their sockets, squishing them as she pulled them out. Gene Co. would never get them back.

And that was her greatest feat. 

Her memories would remain her own.

“Richie...” Eddie reached over and grabbed Richie’s hand as the rope supporting Blind Mag gave way (cut by someone else no doubt), sending her spiralling down onto the spike of a fence scenery.

Around them there were gasps of surprise and horror, but Eddie could only focus on the frozen Richie, dragging him towards him and wrapping his arms around his waist in a hug. It was the only thing he really knew how to do.

That was what  _ his _ mother did whenever he cried.

Richie clung to him, his body shaking as his face buried into Eddie’s shoulder. He refused to look at the scene below them. He refused to see his mother in that state.

“Ladies and Gentlemen, don’t panic and please stay in your seats. It’s  _ all  _ part of the show!” A voice boomed over the room and Richie flinched in Eddie’s grasp.

_ It’s all part of the show. _

That’s all his mother was to Gene Co.. 

A Showpiece.

Mr Grey was suddenly on the stage as a curtain fell over the scene, so the body could be removed without causing further panic.

“You  _ don’t  _ want to move, folks, because we have something  _ really  _ exciting coming! As an encore, Gene Co. is now going to cure a very sick young boy who has been caged up like a monster. Would Mr Kaspbrak and his guest please make their way to the stage?”

Eddie’s grip tightened on Richie. “Richie...”

“I’m fine. It’s okay.” Richie pulled back from the hug and climbed to his feet quickly, rubbing his fists against his eyes. “Let’s get you your cure, Eds. You need it. I’ll make sure they don’t put you into a contract like my mother’s.”

Eddie wanted to protest, but there was no denying Richie when he grabbed his hand and pulled him from his seat. Mike was already waiting for them, leading them to the stage through side hallways. 

By the time they’d reached the stage Mag’s body was gone and the curtain was up again.

And Richie was ripped away from him, held in a deathgrip by Patrick. Eddie took a step towards him to help, but Henry stepped forward and shoved him back.

“You might want to rethink that.” Henry said, voice unusually calm. “See, your little grave robber friend here has known about you since the start. In fact, it was his job to find you and report to dad a way to meet you.”

“His greatest grave robbing to date.” Greta said, her malicious laugh filling the room. “Isn’t that right?”

Eddie stared at Richie, who was trying to get out of Patrick’s grip. “Richie -”

Richie’s head snapped to him instantly. “Eddie, you don’t - you don’t understand. I didn’t do it to hurt you, okay? Mr Grey  _ won’t  _ hurt you. It’s okay.”

“Of course I wouldn’t hurt him. I promised Frank I would look out for his son in the event of his death.” Mr Grey strode across the stage with two thick booklets. “Let’s see... you found Eddie, just like I wanted, and got me a way to contact him without Sonia knowing. You did your job so here.” He thrust one of the booklets into Richie’s chest. “This is Stan’s contract. Null and void. His debt is now squared off just like we discussed.”

“ _ What _ ?” Henry demanded. “ _ That’s  _ why you let him off with his last job?”

Eddie was still staring at Richie, the words around them barely reaching him, but he still heard them. Richie had been sent to find him. Everything between them was a  _ lie _ . At first, all he could feel was betrayal and anger, but then it faded. 

Richie did it for his friend. Not himself. His friend.

And because Richie had found him, Eddie could get his cure, and all he could feel was gratitude.

“I’m not mad.” Eddie assured him. “I wanted a cure all this time and you made that possible. I just… you didn’t have to lie to me.”

“Edward, getting you the cure was the plan after all. I promised you, and now you’ll get it, but before then, I have someone who should witness this grand event, who promised you she’d bring you here.” Mr Grey snapped his fingers as he spoke.

And two Repo Men escorted his mother onto the stage.

“Ma? What are you doing here?” Eddie asked, taking a step back from here towards Richie, who Patrick had finally released.

Mr Grey ignored Sonia’s presence, his attention solely fixed on Eddie “It’s time, Edward, that you were introduced to the woman who killed your father.”

Eddie could feel the colour drain from his face. “ _ What _ ?”

“It was just an accident!” Sonia said. “I just wanted to keep him at home, always.”

“She poisoned his blood to keep him sick at home, Edward, and in the end it killed him.” Mr Grey circled around Eddie, placing a hand to his shoulder. “And that’s not all, I’m afraid. May I introduce you to the woman who made you sick with the same medication that killed your father? You should never trust a former Gene Co. nurse.”

Eddie’s breath caught in his throat the the words, trying to make sense of them. Not once in his life had Sonia ever told him that she had worked for Gene Co.. But she had. And she had used things she’d learned there to poison both him and his father.

“Eds?” Richie reached out, grabbing his arm. “Are you okay?”

“I can’t - I can’t breathe.” 

The watch on his wrist was blaring with the spike in his blood pressure as the shock set in.

His mother had lied to him for sixteen years.

His mother had poisoned him for fifteen years.

Eddie’s world darkened as the beeping continued, followed by a shriek from his mother.

“Eds!”

  
  


**Act IX: Freedom**

When Eddie regained consciousness, the first thing he saw was Richie leaning over him, the opera stage lights reflecting off his glasses. Slowly, the noise of the world made itself known again and Eddie was aware that he was using Richie’s lap as a pillow, while Richie was staring down at him in concern. 

“Richie?”

“Hey Eds, how are you feeling?”

“Better.”

Richie smiled, brushing a hand through his hair. “You look better. The medicine made you sick. You fought it.”

“You knew  _ that  _ all along, too, didn’t you?”

“Would you have believed me if I’d told you that night at the black market that your medication was what made you sick?”

“No. No, I wouldn’t have. I didn’t think she could -”

“It’s okay. Let’s get you up.” Richie soothed, helping Eddie to sit upright before standing, carefully pulling him to his feet.

“See that, everyone, he’s cured of the blood disease!” Mr Grey shouted, and Eddie was suddenly aware that this had been happening in front of hundreds of people as the cheering and clapping sounded through the room. 

Mr Grey then approached Eddie, holding out a booklet towards him with a smile. “There’s just one thing left now, Eddie. This is your contract for the cure of being held prisoner in your own home as per Gene Co. policy.”

“My contract?” Eddie asked, staring down at the booklet.

“No trickery in this, Edward, and no fine print to worry about. Frank was a dear, dear friend of mine and I promised that I’d look out for you, and this is how I plan to do that. My own children are a bust, look at them! So to keep my promise to your father here’s the deal. When my life reaches its end you inherit all of Gene Co..”

Henry stepped forward, a murderous glint in his eye. “What?  _ He  _ gets Gene Co.?”

“Did you really think I’d leave it to one of  _ you _ ? Two murderers and a Zydrate Junkie? Go, Edward. Break free from your mother and see the world like you wanted to; like your father wanted to. Everything you need is in that booklet.”

Panic had taken over Sonia’s expression. “Eddie-bear,  _ no _ . You can’t -”

Eddie ignored his mother, clutched the booklet to his chest, thanked Mr Grey before he turned his attention to Richie. “Come with me.”

Richie stared, eye wide with surprise. “Are you… sure about that? After what I-”

“There are worse things you could have done to me, Richie. It was a little white lie. I wouldn’t have believed it back then if you’d come clean. Come with me and take me to the places you’ve been.”

“I - yeah, okay. I’ll… I’ll come with you.”

Eddie held his hand out and Richie took it. And for once it was Eddie dragging Richie somewhere; jumping from the stage and running up the aisle towards the door. Towards his freedom. Ben was already waiting at the end of the red carpet for them, but Eddie shook his head, turned, and dragged Richie down the street.

“Where first?” Richie asked as Eddie opened the booklet to take out a small black credit card with his name printed on it, and his passport.

“I don’t know. Anywhere.”

“I’ll take you to Europe first, then, but there’s something I need to do before we go.” 

Eddie nodded and allowed Richie to take the lead now into one of the nicer areas of the city. Richie didn’t stop until they were inside of a nice looking apartment building, standing outside of a door marked  _ 50B _ , with Richie knocking both loudly and rather obnoxiously.

The door swung open a couple of minutes after, Stan staring at him in confusion. “What are you doing here Richie? Why are you dressed-”

“No time Staniel! I have to take Eds here on a trip around the world!” Richie said, thrusting his own booklet into Stan’s chest. “Here’s your Gene Co. contract. Your debt has been paid by me and technically Eddie here. You’re no longer their slave.”

Stan gripped the booklet in his hands, staring down at his name, which was printed onto the cover.

He was free.

Richie had kept his promise to free him.

“Richie -”

Richie grinned, grabbed Eddie by the hand and turned to leave, shouting back over his shoulder. “You’re welcome! Now go be free, Stan! No more blood.”

It was a year before Eddie and Richie returned to the city on Mr Grey’s request, no longer as friends but as a couple, spending his last moments with him, and just like the man had promised, Eddie inherited Gene Co. in the place of his children.

And Gene Co. thrived after undergoing some surgery of its own.


End file.
